


Love and Macarons

by miraculousstorytelling



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Baking, F/M, Fluff, Kissing, Singing, Teaching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 17:13:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10768767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miraculousstorytelling/pseuds/miraculousstorytelling
Summary: Marinette spends an afternoon teaching Nino how to make macarons, promising him a kiss for each one he can successfully make.





	Love and Macarons

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Sweet Affectionate Moments Meme](http://miraculousstorytelling.tumblr.com/post/152036210598/lustanddaiold-sweet-affectionate-moments-meme) on tumblr.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?"

Marinette frowned down at their ingredients. "Well, macarons are really tough. I still mess them up sometimes."

"I know but..." Nino shrugged. "It's your favorite, right?"

She nodded slowly, a smile spreading over her lips. "Yes."

"Then, I want to learn how to make them."

"Okay, but you can't say I didn't warn you." She tied off her apron behind her.

"So, what happens first?" he asked.

"Well, we have the baking sheets ready, and we both have our aprons on-"

"Did you give me one that says kiss the cook on it?" he asked, staring down at it.

"Maybe." She grinned. "You don't like it?"

"I definitely didn't say that."

"Tell you what..." Marinette gathered the almond flour and sugar. "For some extra motivation, how about I give you a kiss for each perfect macaron you make."

He smiled. "I can work with that."

"Good." She handed him the measuring cups. "Let's get started."

She had to admit she was somewhat impressed Nino managed to measure and sift the flour-sugar mixture without spilling any.

"My first macarons were a lot messier," she explained as she guided him through the next steps. "My mom was letting me help mix, and I dropped the bowl on the floor and started crying."

"Weren't you seven?"

She nodded. "Six, actually, but yes."

He smiled. "I'll still take it as a compliment."

"You should. I was very advanced at six."

"Lucky you," he teased as she reached for the mixer. "When I was six, I was still begging my mom to stop piano lessons."

"You took piano?" she asked.

"For a year and a half. I hated every second of it." He sighed. "I kind of regret quitting now."

"Well, it's never too late to start up again."

"Why don't I master macarons first?"

She shook her head. "Nino, you have to understand. You don't master macarons. You just do your best and hope they're merciful."

He raised a brow. "You really know how to make a guy feel confident."

"You can do it, babe." She leaned in to press a soft kiss to his cheek. "Now, come on, it's time to mix."

He hummed in agreement and carefully mixed the batter together.

"Okay, now up the speed a little, and lucky for you, I'll add in the sugar and flour for you."

He moved aside so she could pour, carefully maneuvering around the steady stream of their flour-sugar mixture. "Does your dad usually do all of this by himself?"

Marinette shook her head. "Sometimes he has to, but most of the time, macarons are a family project. We all help each other to make sure they come out exactly right."

"Sounds like my mom when she's working on family dinners. Everyone gets a turn watching the food or they don't eat."

"Well, it turned out well for you." She set the bowl aside. "I mean, I've tasted your cooking, and it's fantastic."

"I'll tell Mom you said that. She'll be thrilled." Nino peeked into the bowl. "She always promised me that I'd find a great wife if I could just learn how to cook."

Marinette chuckled. "You do look cute in an apron."

He blushed. "So do you."

She grinned and glanced at the batter. "It's looking good so far. Just needs a little more mixing."

Sure enough, the batter started stiffening, taking on the shiny appearance Marinette had told him to watch for. "Is it done now?"

"Yeah, go ahead and stop mixing." She smiled. "Now we fold the batter and add the coloring. We're doing purple today, since we're making lavender honey macarons."

"That sounds amazing."

"Trust me, it is." Once everything was properly mixed, folded, and poured into a pastry bag, Marinette handed it to him. "Now, be careful with this. You know how hard it was to make."

"I do," he answered.

"I'll help you, but if you make this overflow and ruin the batch, we're going to have to start over," she continued, equally serious.

He took the bag from her with a solemn nod and held it carefully. "So, how much do I add?"

"Just a little. Here. I'll show you." She slid between him and the counter, tucking her head under his chin and gently wrapping her hands around his. "So you want circles about this big. See?" As she explained, she squeezed his hand around the bag and poured batter onto one of the sheets they'd prepared earlier.

"So..." He moved over to a new spot and poured out another circle of batter. "Like this?"

She nodded. "Perfect."

Before she could move away, he shifted so he was looking over her shoulder, leaving them both in a more comfortable position. "Maybe you could stay there a little longer just to make sure I'm doing it right."

"Nino, are you looking for an excuse to keep me close?" she smirked back at him.

"Maybe." He kissed her cheek. "Is it working?"

"Well, you are cozy."

He chuckled, and the slow rumble of his laughter across her back made her smile and lean back into him. He hummed softly as he piped out batter, and she struggled to place the melody.

"What song is that?" she asked finally.

"Oh, a new one I wrote last night. It's still a work in progress."

She gently stopped him from moving away from one that was a little too small. "What's it called?"

"Oh, um..." He shrugged. "Haven't figured it out yet."

"Really?" She raised a brow. "Aren't you always talking about your working titles?"

He moved to another spot on the baking sheet and avoided eye contact. "Well, I've kind of been calling it Marinette."

She turned to look at him. "You wrote a song for me?"

"It just reminds me of you," he explained as he finished the sheet.

"Can you sing it for me?"

He made a face. "Oh, come on. You know I don't sing."

"But I like your singing." She grabbed the other sheet and set it out while sending him a pleading look. "Maybe just a little bit of it?"

He sighed. "Okay, but it still needs work."

She closed her eyes and listened as he sang a simple melody about dark hair and bright eyes, about sunlight and the comfort of finding home with someone you love. Once it was over, she reached back to thread her fingers behind his neck and move up for a soft kiss. "I think it's perfect." She made a face when she saw the sheet in front of them. "Unlike your macarons."

"Hey, you should have been paying attention. Aren't you supposed to be supervising me?"

She tsked him and took the pastry bag. "For one, I was on a break, and for two, it was worth it." She corrected a few of the misshapen attempts and returned the bag to Nino. "Try and finish up, okay?"

He nodded and reached around her to finish the second sheet. "Better?"

"Much."

"So, in the oven now?"

"No." She picked up one tray and tapped the base against the table. "To get rid of any air bubbles."

He repeated the action with the first sheet. "Then?"

"Then we let them sit out for a little while. We can work on the filling while we do that." She shot him a grin. "Don't worry. This part's much easier."

She gathered the ingredients and guided him as he measured and mixed. He looked down at the filling. "It's only a few ingredients, huh?"

She nodded. "Like I said, it's pretty simple." She scooped out a bit to taste it. "Mm. Perfect."

"Can I try?" She nodded, and he dipped a finger in to try. "Wow."

She chuckled and reached out to test the batter on the baking sheets. "Still needs a little more time."

"We can clean up while we wait," he suggested, looking around at the bowls and equipment waiting to be washed. Marinette kept an eye on the batter while they cleaned, and she finally declared it ready when the last bowl was set aside to dry.

The rest of the process was a little faster, putting one sheet in the oven, prepping the filling, pulling it out and putting in the second sheet, then finally placing them on cooling racks.

"Okay, careful when you take them off. My dad has a trick." She demonstrated on two halves. "Just like that. Then, you put the filling on one side and put another side on top."

"Easier said than done," he murmured, already holding up a broken half.

"You can do it." She held up the macaron in her hand for him. "You want them to look like this when they're done."

It took a few tries, but he managed to make eighteen full macarons with one half left over. Of the eighteen, Marinette and Nino agreed that seven met the standard of perfect macaron.

"So, I owe you seven kisses."

"Sounds like it." He smiled and settled his hands on her hips. "Ready?"

She grinned and stepped closer. "Always." She began with a soft kiss to the corner of his lips. "One." Then, she moved to press a second soft kiss to his cheekbone. "Two." He chuckled as she pecked his lips. "Three." Her next kiss was to his forehead. "Four." Another to his lips. "Five." She grinned as she pressed another to the tip of his nose. "Six." Finally, she met his eyes and looped her arms around the back of his neck to tug him into a longer, sweeter kiss, her thumb rubbing over the nape of his neck as she held him in place and shifted closer. "Seven," she whispered into his lips when she finally leaned back.

He looked down at her with that loving, dazzled look that always warmed her heart. "Beautiful."

"Hmmm... Have I mentioned I love you?" she murmured.

"Yeah." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. "And I love you, too."

She closed her eyes and relaxed against him.

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on tumblr under the same username!


End file.
